This blog is a result of the heavy censoring of the media by the military dictatorship regime.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

On the trail of Fiji's army

FBC News says this picture shows military officers cleaning up Nadi. Too far to see them or are they just not there?

Some sign of the Navy - a jacket.

Soldiers here in the midst at Tavua?

Media reports today of a strong contingent of army personnel working in the West to help with the clean up.

In fairness after criticism of the obvious absence of our lean, mean army on the ground, we scoured known sources for pictures of them at work today and publish here the ones we found.

A couple at Tavua District - where are the rest?

No sign of the big contingent boasted by one blogger in retaliation to our earlier story and nowhere near the more conservative figure touted in a story today by FBC News (see link below).

One in the boat - Bainimarama's minder

Frank Bainimarama was certainly out pressing the flesh again today: this time in Ba and Tavua, talking also to the Ba Chamber of Commerce. But there was no evidence of his huge army in tow or a huge contingent out among the people.

Note, too, the opinion polls over the past few days in Fiji Live for example about whether or not people think they are getting enough assistance. Most say No.

Editor's Note: If any blogger has spotted pictures of the army at work, please alert us to them.

Reports today from DISMAC that 11,000 in evac centres and there's problems with sanitation, water and power etc and getting rations for little babies. Here's hoping we can get help to our very own asap. Can't be easy for them. God Bless

Toso ga army, you're not answerable to bloggers. Oh by the way where are the political Methodist church? All other religious organisations assisting whilst political Methodist church of Fiji still playing politics and trying to milk every cent from members for big grog and chow at the koniferedi.

Pls leave the church alone,but why is this illegal Baini travelling around wasteing govt money visiting flood affected area.He wont be able to write even a good report given his educational back ground. Vondo lotto Free food free sarasra.All the boci garnds getting allowance on this trip,what a waste,no school go and get a life.

Why is the Vuaka sitting on the bench and others on the floor? The only explanation is, he's got gout and he can't cross his legs. I hope the gout gets to his peanuts, and man that will cripple this pig.

Anonymous April 4, 2012 7:16 PMYou must be from outer space,Its the Methodist church and its grassroot circuit and divisional machinary wich is working in flooded areas,churches and Methodist schools are being used.If you dont want to 'soli' or go to the 'koniferedi' thats up to you.

What a load of Bull and dog shit..I was in Nadi yesterday..NO SIGN OF ARMY cleaning debris off the streets..there was only one directing traffic on the road..the council workers and some volunteers were the ones doing the cleaning..A whole lot of them were sighted traning up the hill at lower ragg in Tamavua..

Operation Queensland Flood Assist is a complex, multi-Service activity by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) as a contribution to the response to the 2010–2011 Queensland floods. Coordinated to aid civilian emergency response efforts, at Federal inter-departmental level it is managed by Emergency Management Australia. It comprises units and personnel from the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army, and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) operating as Joint Task Force 637 (JTF 637). The operation was initially commanded by Colonel Luke Foster, based at Enoggera Barracks in Brisbane.[1] When the ADF commitment was increased, command was transferred to Brigadier Paul McLachlan, Commander of the 7th Brigade, also based in Brisbane.[2]

JTF 637 was established on 1 January 2011 to command the ADF units responding to the floods. At this time, these units included three Army Black Hawk helicopters, which were operating near the town of Emerald.[4] Additional ADF units were assigned to the task force as the situation worsened, and by 14 January, the task force comprised:[1] 540 personnel from all three services (including reservists and 150 personnel from Fleet Support Unit-Sydney) 3 RAAF Beechcraft Super King Air personnel transport, supply tasking and aerial survey 2 RAAF C-130 Hercules for airlift support 2 RAAF C-17 Globemasters for airlift support 1 Army CH-47 Chinook helicoopter for heavy lift support 9 Army Black Hawk helicopters for search and rescue, recovery and evacuations. 4 Army Kiowa observation helicopters for search and aerial survey 2 Army LARC amphibious watercraft for search and recovery[5] 17 Army Bushmaster vehicles for search and recovery Army heavy transport vehicles 3 Navy Sea King helicopters for search and rescue and airlift support 4 Navy Augusta 109 helicopters for search and aerial survey A Navy Clearance Diving to assess underwater hazards

On 14 January, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that the number of ADF personnel deployed would be increased to 1200, making it the largest deployment for a natural disaster since Cyclone Tracy in 1974.[6] The additional deployment would include the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment and a Navy minehunter.[7]

By 18 January the number of defence personnel deployed had risen to 1600. On the same day, minehunter HMAS Huon and hydrographic survey ships HMAS Paluma and HMAS Shepparton commenced surveying Moreton Bay and the Brisbane River for submerged debris.[8]

Search and recovery operations in the Lockyer Valley continued into late January 2011. Maritime survey of the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay shipping channels and clean up in the Grantham and Lockyer Valley continued into February 2011.

JTF 637 was disestablished on 4 February, although Army engineers and Navy survey ships continued to provide support. Some of the assets were redeployed to Operation Yasi Assist.

The picture on the top people in pink uniform are prisoners/inmate,they should be in prison .Era sa oca mai na sotia na cakacaka/sasamaki kei na tei paini.They are being used ,muri lewa because of food on the table .............

I wonder which hole Chood hry and Qarase buried themselves in. They both can only puff hot air with no action. Come on Mahen get all that money from Aussie land help out the flood victims. Since you stole the money that was given to you from Canada and US for the victims staying at Girimit Center in 2000, you can make it good now. Redeem yourself.

Qarese you too can reach into your deep pocket and fork out the money that you are wrongfully getting from FHL stocks that does not rightfully belong to you.

I see that some regime supporters are trying to divert attention from the regime's pathetic preparations for, and response to, the flood by asking what the Methodists, the SDL, the FLP, etc. are doing to help. This is Fiji's government today -- a bunch of ineffectual nogoodniks who cling to power by blaming everyone else to cover their crimes and failures.

Yes, the RFMF isn't accountable to a bunch of bloggers, and that's fine. But it also doesn't think it's accountable to Fiji's laws and elected leaders or to God, and that's a problem. It doesn't feel accountable to anyone except a traitorous buffoon, when in law it stopped being accountable to him the moment he uttered his first unlawful command many years ago. Too bad some blinking idiots are too 'obtuse' to see that!

Because Voceke want to play around with the Koniferedi, and his big mouth Moceke Tikoitona want to shut down the methodist church, they are paying the price.If you want to fight with God, make sure you have balls.Most Methodist are the victims of the flood, and the rest are donating silently so that the left hand would not know. NOt, giving your donation and bringing in the press to blow your trumpet, eh.Anyway, what have YOU done, are you giving or sticking your fingers where the sun dont shine?

vinaka lds church.we need all churches to be united and assist its members and fellow fijian.i thank radio apana of nz and the hardworking owner/staffs to make the public appeal in nz.we thanks all those people that have given funds to the radio appeal.may god bless you all for helping our fellow fijians in fiji.god bless mr Shah ,dharmen,shaiyaz,joe,others .good work radio apana.keep it up.we did how much we can help our fiji people.i hope fiji govt will ask overseas donors/govt to assist our fellow fijian.nz pm is ready to assist anytime. fiji govt need to ask nz govt for help.come on guys ask for help now.fijian needs overseas help.god bless fiji.Rajesh

Yes, and then the DPCW blames the public of negligence!! What a joke. It is government who is negligent here you dumwit. With a low IQ rating it will be a continuous challenge to put in place long term useful procedures. What is it called in powerpoint presentations? Strategy? It is now evident with both forces that their senior officers are incompetent. The way they talk and posture and, what they do. Total disconnection!! What a farce. Poor Fiji. What have the public done to deserve this mob of uneducated self promoted circus troupe??

HAPPY EASTER TO YOU ALL IN FIJI.BE LIKE CHRIST FRANK REPENT AND FORGIVE.TIME FOR YOU TO HUMBLE YOURSELF AND ASK FOR HELP FROM OVERSEAS DONORS AND GOVT.FIJI CANNOT DO IT.NO MONEY/AIR FORCE PLANE./BOATS.NZ AND EVEN USA NEED HELP FROM OTHER COUNTRIES TO ASSIST THEM DURING THE TIME OF NEED.PLS NZ AND AUSS GOVT ASSIST OUR FELLOW FIJIAN IN FIJI..WE THANK NZ PM FOR DONATING 500K.GOD BLESS PM JK/NZ GOVT AND PEOPLE.GOD BLESS FIJI PEOPLE.RAJESH

Guy in blue shirt gesticulating is a RFMF officer and was Commissioner Northern. He talked a lot and did nothing for Savusavu. Not his fault - he is a nice guy BUT Government has no money and none of Look North been done except roads to his potential new voters.

I agree with rajesh - Mr Shah and radio apna have raised money on the back of anti bani and ass support - people know that their money wont be used to fill bani and ass pockets - this really shows that former fiji residents especially muslims support the anti bani cause - power to the people - congrats Radio apna, you told us why we shouldnt assist banis lot and support the people - thank you to Mr shah, Shaiyaz, Darmend and rajesh for making this happen and showing us the true picture of this flood unlike other media namely radio tarana.God bless you rajesh, apna staff and Mr shah.

The regime may not like what appears on this blogsite and Frank will tell you not to read or believe blogsites such as this.But the damage is being done as evidenced fom the number of posts now appearing on this site and which have the definite tell-tale sign of Qorvis/Sharon Smith manipulation.They've even gone to the extent of using the Letters to the Editor Column in newspapapers to paint a better picture of Bainimarama. See Rakesh Chandra letter in Fiji Sun of 5/4/2012 and Naivilawasa's letter to Editor in Fiji Times of 4/4/2012. Compatre Rakesh's leter and the Fiji Sun editorial of the same day 5/4/2012!! Naivilawasa doesn't have the know-how to express himself in the way he does in the letter, which, incidentally, follows straight on from one by Sharon Smith.The regime is getting so desperate, it's starting to resort to anonymous postings like the rest of us. One wonders whether they're also providing "ghost writers" for the Fiji Sun editorials... because the themes all seem a bit too familiar.

Whats the use of bringing up Methodis church, Qarase/Chaudhary SDL or Labor? These guys aren't in government and they are not recieving tax payers funds, the current illegal regime and the overfunded RFMF are the ones who are raking in our tax dollars and they should be the ones fixing up this mess since they didn't do a good job preventing such a mess happening in the first place! And why only target the Methodist church? What about the other religous organisations, why not ask what they're doing? Oh, right, onlth the methodist church is standing up your cowardly cassava commander! Wake up, wipe the bias from your eyes and put the responsibility where it belongs.

Kai Colo said... Yes, this is spot on. No paisa!! The RFMF in 2006 was granted new allowances for its troops on internal deployment such as wet weather ,dangerous tasks( Engrs EOD and Navy Diving), operational exercise , family separation etc.( Thanks to the SDL ‘s JER exercise) 2001-2005)Unlike prior to 2006, the RFMF to deploy troops in situations like Natural Disasters has to front up with all these allowances. Obviously the military has busted their P and E for the last five years because of these allowances and huge basic pay increases across the board.. So what does VB do.. surprise surprise he gets Prison Commisioner Lt Col Vasu ( pictured with him at the washed out Nadi bridge) to force his Prisoners to be used as scab labour to clean up( see the boys in Orange prison garb at Tavua Dist sch as in photos !! Only in Fiji !!

If these toy soldiers from Nabua and other gabbage military barracks around Fiji really care for their country and the people than why they need allowance for helping their own people?These soldiers are not our friends anymore they are our enemy.The increament they got acrooss the board was a token of appreciation from Bainimarama for murdering innocent people and the democracy.These soldiers (the ulukaus) are not working for the goverment(people)they are working for Bainimarama.Sorry guys donot expect these toy soldiers to come and help you but they will only come to kill you.ex army

All countries put the army to use during natural disasters. They have the numbers, the strenght, the discipline, the leadership and the protocol to help the people of their country. Fiji govt and army not doing this cos Fiji army no longer employed for the good of the people. They no longer want to dirty their hands cleaning up muck they happy to play dirty politics and act like corporate bodyguards

The chief of the Corporate Bodyguards/ Personal officer of PM was doing observers duties in Darfur (Sudan). Came back a "warrior" and practiced what he learnt by poking people's arses with M16 barrels up at QEB. His first demo was on Tikoinasau.

At least the Methodist church owns radio apna which is calling for donations. Oh and they calling for donations in Fiji now. Majority Fijians are Methodists and definitely most those affected. Most of the prisoners are Methodists so they are helping. Majority of the army are Methodists so they are now not helping....vinaka cake meu sa lai Hindu ga!

radio apana has done appeal for fiji and other countries in the past.fiji govt didnt gove a hood about their hard work but nz pm did.thanks you radio apana and mr shah and team.thanks rajesh/dharmen/others.they are few people trying to discredit apana .dont worry you are the best and god knows and people in nz trust radio apana not chor tarana.